Automatic fire-lighter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. W. BOROHERS. AUTOMATIC FIRE LIGHTER.

No. 425,740. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

l1 TTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

H. W. BOBCHE'RS. AUTOMATIC FIRE LIGHTER.

No. 425,740. Patented Apr. 15,1890.

WITNESSES: MM aW Arromyns.

I'NE min! versus cm. momlm, vusmm'mu, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC HENRY WV. BOROHERS, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,740, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed July 20, 1889. Serial No. 318,165. (No model.)

' of Portland, in the county of Mult-nomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Fire-Lighters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic fire-lighters, and particularly to a class in which an ordinary portable alarmclock is utilized to actuate the lighting mech anism at a proper instant-of time.

The object to be attained by my present invention is the production of a reliable, cheap, and simple device, which is portable and readily attachable to any small alarm-.

clock, and when so attached is capable vof lighting a fire in a stove or grate at any predetermined moment of time.

WVith these objects in View my invention consists in certain features of mechanical construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device with an alarm-clock in position to operate the lighting mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lighting device connected to a clock-alarm. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the lighting device connect-ed to the alarm. Fig. 4 is a transverse section in elevation of the lighting device and an alarm-clock attached thereto, the case of the clock being broken away to show the manner of connecting the alarm to the lighter. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of an attachable stand which may be used to afford support to the lighting device and an attached alarm-clock.

A represents the base-plate of the device. It is metallic and of a convenient size to support all parts of the apparatus. Upon the base-plate an'adjusta'ble post Ois erected. It is held in place by a clamping thumb-screw L, which, when slackened, will allow the post to be slid in the slot 6, and so permit a proper adjustment of the post onthe base-plate A. A perforated hub a is placed upon the upright post 0, and adjustably secured at any desired point by the thumb-serewb. Integral with the hub an arm D projects laterally from the same having a clasp or hoop spring E, attached to its upper surface near the free end g. Said claspE is of such relative dimensions and strength as to embrace the cylindrical body of a portable alarm-clock F and retain it in position, as shown in Fig; 2.

Adjacent to the supported clock F, a short hollow post or column 13' is erected from the base-plate A, so as to be opposite the rear side of the clock, (see Fig. 4,) and from its base near the axial center of the same an upright shaft 0 is erected. A locking-disk K is secured near the top end of the shaft 0, said terminal end having a support in the cross-bar p, which is integral Wit-h the column B, and extends across the same at its upper end. The spiral spring 0 loosely embraces the shaft O, and has its lower terminal hooked fast to the base-plate of the column B, the upper end of said spring being secured to the locking-disk K.

From the peripheral edge of the lockingdisk K a toe n projects, as shown in Fig. 2, which toe is of sufficient length to abut against the upturned end 0% of the curved spring m, the latter being attached at'its opposite end 117. to the side of the upright column.

The action of the spring m is designed to be vibratory, horizontally considered, so that when the spring 0 is wound around the shaft 0 to give it proper resilience and the toe 'n. of the locking-disk 7c is engaged by the spring at in the manner stated 'it will require a downward vibration of the locking-spring 'm to release its connection with the toe n, and so permit the disk 7a to revolve. i

From the'locking-disk 71; an armG projects laterally through an elongated slot i made in the wall of the column B. Said arm is of such a length as to permit it to swing around and lie near to the grate M of a stove or'range, as will be further explained.

. Upon the outer extremity of the arm G a clamp c is formed, which is designed to receive and securely hold in a vertical position depending from it the match H, that is embraced atits upper end by the split portions or jawsof the clamp, and therein retained by the compression-screw c, which draws the clamp-j aws together.

From the side of the column B, near its upper edge, a laterally-proj cot-ing sleeve J afiords support to the -rock-shaft S, permitting it to vibrate therein. On the inner end of the rock-shaft S an integral lug h is formed, which projects therefrom and lies with its free end in contact with the spring m, the position of the lug being diagonal with regard approved style preferred it is not shown.

The construction of such a device, being well known, does not constitute a part of my in- -vention.

The shaft N of the alarm appparatus is adapted to rotate by its driving-spring in the usual way; hence if the tongue and slotted connection of this shaft with the rock-shaft S is efiected by simply sliding them together and securing the clock in the manner stated it is evident that when the alarm is put in motion at any predetermined time set for its discharge the arm G will be released and made to swing around, as previously mentioned.

In the .path of travel of the attached match H a scratch-block I is projected upwardly from the base-plate A of such a relative height that a properly-secured match will impinge upon its roughened top surface (1' and by the frictional contact of its head therewith be ignited while it passes over the same.

A portion at of thetop surface of the block I is not roughened. (See Fig. 1.) Upon this smooth face the end of the match may rest when it is being inserted and clamped, and

as the roughened portion is slightly higher than the face (1 it is evident that a correct position can be given the match-head to insure its ignition.

The entire fixture is intended to rest upon the hearth-plate or apron of a stove or range, so that the match H will approach the bars of the grate and come in contact with and ignite combustible materials placed within the grate and projected therefrom, such as pavper or shavings, which latter by their combustion will inflame wood or similar materials within the grate, and thus start a fire therein atany time required. The operation is automatic and controlled by the previous setting of the alarm of the clock to discharge its mechanism, ring a bell, and simultaneously actuate the fire-lighting device.

In some cases it may be required to'employ the fire-lighting device to start a fire in a stove, range, or grate having no hearth-plate whereon to rest the bed-plate of the apparatus. To this end a stand (shown in Fig. 5) is provided. It rests upon the floor of the apartment near the place where the fire isto be started and engages with its upright rod 8 the boss R, formed on the base-plate A, said boss being perforated and provided with a set-screw to impinge upon the rod and hold the lighting device at a proper height.

Slight changes might be made in the mechanical details of this invention within its manifest scope; hence I donot wish to restrict the same to the exact forms shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In an automaticfire-lighter, the combination, with a baseplate, a revoluble shaft supported vertically, an arm projected from this shaft to be swung by a revoluble movement of the shaft, a locking-disk mounted on the shaft, a device to lock the disk and hold the arm, anda match-holding clamp, of a rock-shaft loosely secured to the main shaft of a clock-alarm and adapted to release the locking-disk when the alarm is discharged,

substantially as set forth.

2. In an automatic fire-lighter, the combination, with an alarm-clock removably supported on a base-plate and a base-plate, of a swinging'arm, a locking device which holds the arm from swinging, a spring which moves the arm in a horizontal plane, a match-holding clamp attached to the free end of the arm,

a scratching-block, and a rock-shaft which is removably connected with the main shaft of the alarm mechanism of a clock and is adapted torelease the locking device which holds the swinging arm when said rock shaft is rocked by the alarm mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic fire-lighter, the combination, with a swinging match-carryin g arm, a device which supports and actuates this arm in a horizontal plane, a match-holding clamp, and a match-scratching block, of a rock-shaft having a lug on one end which engages the actuating mechanism of the swinging arm to release said arm, a tongue-andgroove connection between the other end of the rock-shaft and the main shaft of the alarm mechanism of an alarm-clock, and said main shaft, substantially as set forth.

4:. In an automatic fire-lighter, the combination, with a base-plate, a supporting-stand which engages the base-plate, a scratchingblock, avertical shaft, 21. locking-disk, a spiral spring, and a swinging arm whichis adapted to hold a match at its free end, of a detent curved spring which engages thetoe of the locking-disk, a rock-shaf t having a lug formed on one end which engages the detent-spring and has a tongue-and-slot connection at its other end with the main shaft of a clock-alarm, and said main shaft, substantially as setforth.

HENRY W. BOROI-IERS.

Witnesses:

O. P. MASON, Gno. E. CLARK.

IIO 

